Devil's Island
by Phil From Produce
Summary: On a Father/Daughter Sailing expedition to England, Eric & Melody are attacked by pirates. With the help of a magic shell, Melody escapes to enlist the help of her grandfather and mother, While Eric is forced by the dreaded Pirate Cervantes De Santa to take him to Devil's Island. Rated T for Suggestive Content, and Alcohol Consumption.
1. A Grandfather's Gift

Chapter 1 - A Grandfather's gift

()()()

Many days had passed since Morgana's body was permanently encased in ice, and sent to the bottom of the sea. In the fun days that passed, the merpeople and humans enjoyed a time of interaction, and making friends. For Melody and Ariel, it was a chance to reunite with relatives, some they had never met. For Ariel, reconnecting with her sisters was joyfully emotional. For Melody, she got to meet her merpeople cousins.

When the warm days were to end that very year, King Triton called forth his daughter and granddaughter to give them gifts that he had created. They met on the shores of the seas, and it was there where they were to be given the gifts.

"Hey grandpa!" Melody never missed a chance to rush out to meet her grandfather.

"Oh, Melody, it's good to see you." Said Triton, wrapping his arms around Melody.

Ariel walked out to the water and did the same with her dad. When the hugs ended, the gift giving began.

"Ariel, Melody, I have gifts for both of you that I hope will make you truly happy."

Triton pulled 2 objects from a bag, and handed one each to his offspring. They were seashells with a chain wrapped around them.

"What are they, grandpa?" asked Melody

"They're a little invention of magic. A chance to see things you can't see on land." Triton responded.

Ariel and Melody were a bit confused.

"They're designed to turn you into mermaids, at your choosing."

Both girls eyes lit up like candles in the dark. Melody's smile was almost from ear to ear.

"How does it work, grandpa?" Melody was eager to use hers.

"It's quite simple, actually. You charge it in the sun for an hour...and then for 3 days you can become a mermaid, simply by opening it."

Melody walked out into the water, and immediately opened hers up. A bright light emitted from the inside of the shell, and a magical bubble appeared, and Melody went inside of it and in seconds, formed her legs into a tail with fins. When the transformation ended, she dove into the water, went down deep, and burst up with a high rate of speed and broke the surface, soaring into the air a good 10 to 15 feet. Then with perfect form, Swandived back into the sea.

"I'd say she's already enjoying it." Said Triton

Ariel was just as happy.

"Thank you so much, father!" Ariel hugged her dad again as Melody continued to fly through the air out of the sea. Ariel watched her daughter and smiled even more, it was pure joy for her to see her daughter so happy.

After the hug was over, King Triton had to go.

"Well, i'm sorry but I must return to the kingdom. A king's duty never ends." Triton began swimming for home.

"Goodbye grandpa! Thanks for the gift!" Melody soared over her grandfather, who's smile was probably greater than Melody's and Ariel's combined.

With one last wave goodbye for the night, Triton submerged into the sea, and Ariel returned to her castle, while Melody stayed outside for hours, taking pleasure in the fins she had just aquired.

()()()()


	2. Melody's Cousins

Chapter 2 - Melody's Cousins

()()()

6 years passed since Triton gave his gifts to Melody &amp; Ariel. Melody's shell was beginning to show it's many years of use, while Ariel had used hers maybe about a 3rd of the times Melody had. Whenever it was Ariel using hers, it was to visit her dad and her sisters. Melody on the other hand, was always going to hang out with her friends in Atlantica, and her cousins Lynn &amp; Tiger. Lynn was older than her by 3 years, and Tiger by a year. Lynn was an intelligent, serious-minded bookworm who would take Melody on swims throughout Atlantica. Her long, wavy black hair and sharp blue eyes seemed to resemble that of her aunt, Ariel. Tiger on the other hand, was a more obnoxious, wise-cracking guy who always seemed to be looking for trouble. A perfect fit for the role of mersoldier that he had. his shoulder length brown hair complimented his blue eyes very well. As cousins, all 3 got along very well.

It was a day before a big trip to England for Melody's father, King Eric, and Melody was spending the evening with Tiger and Lynn, playing tag with the dolphins.

"Come back here, Flipper! I'ma catch you!" Tiger chased after a dolphin

"What's the deal with the name Flipper?" asked Melody

"He ALWAYS calls them that." Lynn replied.

Tiger began skimming the surface after the dolphins. He eventually caught up to one, and tagged it. The dolphin responded by taking it's tail, and slapping him in the face. Tiger held the side of his face, while Melody and Lynn laughed at him.

"Real nice." Tiger made a face.

Melody and Lynn laughed at Tiger's lighthearted misfortune.

"I guess that's what I get for chasin' tail." Tiger replied as he swam back to his cousins.

"Ah, she's too old for you, come on, let's get back to Atlantica." Lynn motioned for her cousins to follow her.

The mermaids and merman swam through the corals, looking at the fish around them.

"I wonder what England looks like now." Melody started a conversation.

"Probably dingy and grey." said Tiger

"I hear that palace they have there is huge." said Lynn

"Huge? As in bigger than atlantica?" asked Melody

"Nah, nothin's bigger than Atlantica. And nothin's meaner than a mersoldier." Said Tiger, a proud member of his grandfather's army.

"No way, nothin's meaner than your grandfather when you crashed the chariot into the wall." Lynn made reference to a mistake Tiger made a while back.

"Hey! That chariot was in bad shape anyways." Said Tiger

"Was the chariot drunk, Tiger? Cause you were!" Lynn replied

"Hey, I learned from my mistakes. It's the kind of stuff you do when you're young and stupid." Tiger defended himself.

"You're still young and stupid." Said Lynn

"But what a party! You should've seen Lieutenant Pacifika, She's the most sober person at that party, and then she comes up to this drunken stripper mermaid and asks her if she's had anything to drink, and then my buddy Aron goes up to her, picks up the stripper's clamshells, puts them on himself, and says "Does this mean i'm drunk?" Tiger burst out laughing at his drinking story.

"Boys. Go fig." Melody shrugged

"And Captain Strong's reaction when he found the condom on the pillow in his wife's bed?" Tiger smiled again.

"That was you?" Melody giggled a bit, beause she was there, and remembered it well.

"Oh how can we forget that?" asked Lynn "Let's just say we've never heard a more vulgar tirade of words in the history of Atlantica."

The 3 entered the kingdom of Atlantica.

"Well, here it is. Home sweet home." Tiger smiled

"Speaking of, what time do you think it is?" asked Melody

"Probably around 7 or 8." Replied Lynn

"Oh, great! I'd better get home before my mom skins me alive!" Melody began to book it for home.

"See ya later, cousin!" Lynn shouted out

"Take care, Mel! See you sometime!" Tiger added.

"Bye guys!" Melody then took for the surface.

Melody broke the surface and got to the shoreline. She then re-opened her magic seashell and returned to being an air-breathing, 4-limbed, finless human. She walked towards the doors of her home.

"Mom, i'm home!" Melody opened the doors, and there was Ariel and Eric sitting on a couch together, enjoying each other's company.

"Ah, Melody, good to have you home." Ariel greeted her daughter.

"Yeah, you might want to get some sleep, we're leaving for England tommorow very early." Eric added.

Of course Melody was excited to have her dad to herself for a few days on the trade ship to England. The kingdom's collection of special goods that could not be aquired elsewhere would sell very well for gold, and special other goods that could not be aquired in Denmark. And with that, Melody went upstairs to her bedroom.

"By the way, did you have a good time with your cousins?" asked Ariel

"Totally." Melody rushed off to bed.

After Melody left for bed, Eric thought wise to do the same.

"I gotta head up. Dawn always comes so soon." Eric began to head for the bed.

"Good night, Eric." Ariel smiled and gave her husband a kiss. of course, he kissed her back.

And with that, Ariel went to go read a book for a while, where Eric went off to sleep.

()()()()


	3. Setting sail for England

Chapter 3 - Setting Sail for England

()()()

Both Melody and Eric spent over an hour falling asleep, as a long trip was always an exciting deal. But they both awoke fresh and full of energy the morning after. Even before their awakening, The crews were already loading Eric's vessel for the week-long voyage west to England. They would sail along the coasts of Holland and Belgium.

By the time Melody awoke, Her father was already having a filling breakfast.

"Morning, Melody, did you sleep well?" he asked

"I tried. Took me forever to get to sleep." Said Melody, grabbing a few pieces of fruit from the fruit bowl.

"I know the feeling." Eric replied

Melody snacked on grapes for a few moments, while the sounds of outside came in.

"You sure that's all you want? It's a long way to lunch." Eric asked

"You're right, i'll have a bowl of porridge."

One of the palace's maids went to prepare Melody's breakfast, meanwhile, she sat, continuing to wake up. To get more blood flow to her head, she went to the window and looked outside at the men loading up the ship, a few metres away. She saw that one dock worker, Douglas. He was only 19, but already showing the responsibility of a family man. Melody fell in love with his curly dark brown hair, his paper thin goatee and blue eyes and tall figure, which she had a great view of because Douglas always worked with his shirt off. Melody cupped her ear and tried to listen in on him as he worked.

"Come on guys, we gotta get loaded up before Eric comes back!" Douglas told his co-loaders, who were as young as he was.

"We're going, we're going." They replied

Douglas continued to run back and forth between the storehouse and the ship, while his younger and older co-workers went slower, and took smaller loads. Sometimes, when the youngest workers took very small loads, Douglas would scold them. While Melody saw that as the trait of a leader, she wondered if he would be a laid back guy when the time was right.

"Come Melody, your breakfast is ready!" The maid informed the young princess.

"I'm coming." Melody left the window and went back to the dinner table. The smell of hot porridge awaited her.

"Careful, it's hot." The maid told her.

"Thank you." Melody thanked the maid, and began to slowly consume the hot breakfast.

()()()

After a filling breakfast, Eric and Melody left for the dock. Eric was all ready to go, as was Melody. They had said their goodbyes to Ariel, as they would not see her for a week or so. Going across the dock, Melody crossed pathes with her crush, Douglas.

"Good morning, Doug!" Melody smiled at him

"Good morning, Princess Melody." He replied back

"Ah, just Melody, or Mel, that's ok too!" Melody told the dock worker

"Ah, I can't do that! You're royalty!" Douglas replied

Melody giggled. Sometimes it was just cute to hear that from boys.

"Aw, but you can. I don't mind." Melody smiled really cutely. Douglas smiled right back with his eyes connecting with Melody's.

Melody didn't know for sure if Douglas liked her, but it wouldn't be a long shot, for Melody had matured into a very beautiful 18 year old, old enough to find a prince and beautiful enough for one. But of all the princes in the land, she just couldn't find anything in them she liked. None of them were as outgoing or determined to win as she was, and she certainly never saw a prince that was willing to work as hard as Douglas did.

"I gotta get going, Melody. Take care for your voyage for England." Douglas did a slight bow and went back to working. Melody took a few extra moments to check out her crush as he worked. Then she caught up to her father, who was doing some last minute work to make sure the ship was ready for it's trip to England.

"Are we all packed?" Eric asked the leader of the deck hands.

"All 50 tonnes of goods are packed. We're showing green across the board."

"Green across the board?" Eric was confused

"I heard it somewhere. It just means you're good to go." The leader corrected his hip talk.

"Alright! All hands on deck!" Eric shouted as loud as he could.

All the deck hands who were going on the trip ran aboard.

"Crew of the S.S. Seasparrow, reporting for duty, King Eric!" The leader spoke.

"Ok, let's shove off!" Eric ordered

"At your command, sir!" The deck hands went to their stations.

Eric smiled as his crew worked for him.

"Man, that never gets old." he said to himself

The workers did everything necessary to detach the ship from the dock, and in seconds, the ship detached from it's dock, and was free to sail into the North Sea towards England, along the coasts of the Netherlands and Belgium.

()()()()


	4. Thoughts at Sea

Chapter 4 - Thoughts at sea

()()()

A few minutes after launching off the docks of Denmark, The S.S. SeaSparrow sailed directly above Atlantica.

"We should be directly above Atlantica." Eric said out loud as he turned the wheel.

Melody was looking over the edge of the boat, holding that magic seashell her grandfather gave her. It was charging in the bright sunshine, and it was almost fully charged.

"Maybe they'll come up to see me." Melody wished her cousins could see her again, even though they were probably sleeping. They were always late to bed and late to rise.

A few minutes passed, and then a crew member spotted some merfolk, doing some work on the surface, collecting moss from a stone to eat. Both parties waved at each other, as they were friends.

But in the group of moss harvesters, was the other of Melody's crushes - a slim, blonde-haired sunbathed boy who always looked at Melody with a twinkle in his eye. Melody knew his name, it was Davey. He was about Melody's age, but younger by a few months. He addressed Melody as an equal whenever they spoke, which delighted her greatly than being addressed as "Princess Melody."

As the ship sailed off, Davey left his post to say hi to Melody.

"Davey, hows it going?" asked Melody

"I'm doing fine, Mel. Just working. You're off to England now?" asked Davey

"For a little while. I'll be back in a week." Melody replied back.

The conversation was interrupted by Davey's boss.

"Davey! Get back here! You're not here to socialise!" said the Merman Foreman.

"Ah, shoot! I gotta go, Mel! See ya in a week!" Davey swam back to his post, while Melody waved goodbye.

After seeing all of her friends whom she'd see in that week, Melody walked over to her dad, who was still guiding the vessel.

"Well, so far so good." Eric informed his daughter.

"So far...so good." Melody repeated her father's words.

"Something bothering you, my daughter?" Eric asked

"Ah, just boys." Melody replied

"That Douglas guy on the dock and that Davey guy on sea?" asked Eric

"Yeah, those 2. They're both so dreamy, but who do I pick?" asked Melody

"That's up to you, sweetheart. Just let me say, of those 2, I like Douglas more. He works so hard and never seems to complain much." Said Eric

"But he rarely smiles and always chews out his workers." Melody replied

"You have a point...But that Davey guy's kinda lazy. That's not the first time he's left his post to go and talk to you, is it?" asked Eric

"No, it isn't...But he's a lot more laid back and content with himself." Melody replied

"That is true too...But hey, you're my daughter, and in my heart, I know that you'll pick the right one." Eric smiled at his daughter

"Thanks daddy." Melody gave her dad a hug.

The ship continued to sail southwest for the coast of the Netherlands.

"You know, your mother thinks Davey and you would go well together." Said Eric

"She does?" asked Melody

"I don't know. Maybe she likes the blonde hair..."

The ship continued towards the coast of the Netherlands.

()()()()


	5. Cervantes De Santa

Chapter 5 - Cervantes de Santa

()()()

2 nights went by, and the trip was going well. Eric was enjoying the sounds of the seagulls and the sea combined, While Melody would play checkers against the youngest members of the crew, losing and winning equally.

Then the 3rd night fell. the ship continued to sail along the coastline. Eric designated overnight captains to sail the ship while he caught sleep, and used the can. He normally would just eat while sailing. Sometimes the crew caught glimpses of fish swimming along the shoreline, but not too often.

One late night, Melody was fast asleep, when she was jolted awake by the sounds of cannon fire.

"Pirates! All hands on deck!" Yelled a voice

"Pirates! Man the cannons!" yelled another

Eric was also jolted awake, and instantaneously jumped to life when he heard the word. Melody got up and heard the cannonfire and the musketfire. As she got out of her bed, a musketball slammed into her pillow, where her head was only seconds before. She shuddered to think what would've happened if she had not gone awake.

"Melody!" Eric burst open the door to Melody's room.

"Dad!" Melody replied

"You have to get out of here! There's at least 250 of them! We're only 30 strong!"

Melody knew exactly what her father meant when he said "You have to get out of here." It meant using the magic shell.

"Go tell Triton! Tell mom!"

Melody on the other hand, was pretty shaken up, but willing to go. She grabbed her magic shell, and ran out of her quarters and then for the edge of the ship. She dove into the cold north sea, and then activated her shell. Within seconds, she had her fins, and her scales to protect her from the cold.

She sped away from the doomed S.S. Seasparrow back for Denmark.

()()()

As Eric predicted, his crew of 30 men were no match for the 250 pirates that had raided the S.S. Seasparrow. outmatched 8 to 1, Eric raised a white flag. The cannonfire stopped and the pirates cheered, as they had raided the small galley.

The 2 ships connected via ropes, and the pirates all began rounding up the deck hands and binding them.

"Which one of ye scalliwags is the captain?" asked a pirate

Eric raised his hand willingly, as he didn't want any of his deckhands to die.

"Get up, you dog!" The pirate ordered Eric up. He did as he was told, as he was surrounded by tons of gunpowder and cannonballs and was really in no position to argue.

When Eric rose up, a lone figure jumped from the much larger ship, and grabbed a rope and swung down to meet him. It was then Eric got a glimpse of his great adversary, The legendary Pirate Captain, Cervantes De Santa, A name who had been known for 30 years. No one knew what had become of Cervantes after he had left the Carribbean 10 years ago, and it was assumed he was dead at the bottom of the carribbean sea. But he was alive and well, and now had taken over a small vessel.

"A Danish vessel. Ye wave the Danish flag, and not the Spanish one?" He asked

"We are from Denmark, why wave the Spanish flag?" asked Eric

"I think the question is, You spoony bard, is why wave a Danish flag? To trick the great Cervantes De Santa into thinking you're a harmless Danish galley sailing to the fountain of youth, to get a drink for ye dying grandmother, when you're really an spanish vessel stealing gold from the Queen of England?" Cervantes accused Eric of lying to him.

"Are you not Spanish?" asked Eric

"Not anymore." Cervantes smiled with a blacktooth grin "I have defected from those religious hypocrites. They dare call me a thief? Telling me to confess my sins? The great Cervantes De Santa? They have robbed their people for years, promising eternal salvation. But why confess when all of us, in all of our sin, our only destination...is sailing into the shores of Hell?"

Eric was silent. Religion wasn't exactly a topic he took great delight in discussing.

"Take him to the dining room on the White Viper. now!" Cervantes ordered his crew.

A few pirates grabbed Eric's arms, and brought him on board the pirate's vessel. Not only was he scared for his life, but the lives of his crew. He was going to do whatever it took to stay alive, and to see his family again.

()()()


	6. The Devil's stones or yours

Chapter 6 - Give me stones or lose yours

()()()

As the late night rolled on, young Melody bolted back home to deliver the bad news, But her trip would take at least the night plus all the fatigue she would get.

Her father could only hope &amp; pray that his daugher could return home safe, and that he would be safe in the custody of Cervantes. He was awaiting his fate at the far left end of the dinner table, with a bottle of rum in front of him. He knew not to drink it, for it could have been tainted with poison, and even if it was rum, his concentration would be lost in a sea of pure alcohol.

He did not have to wait long for his captor to come to him. He came into the dining room, and sat down in the big chair at the end of the table, where Eric sat to his left.

"So, Your name is Eric. A man of nobility. A man with a kingdom back home." Cervantes interrogated his prisoner.

"Who told you so?" asked Eric

"Lets just say your crew members aren't as quiet as they want to be with a longsword aiming to cut off more, personal parts." Cervantes laughed at his almost foolproof way of getting an answer.

"Fine...I'm a king, but also a sailor." Eric replied

"So it is true...ye Danish flag was not a lie...if it were, ye would be sitting at the bottom of the north sea, your body being picked apart by sharks, your skull in my collection of men who dared sail in my waters." Cervantes spoke. Eric knew he was not lying.

"What is it you want?" Eric asked

"Ah, what do I want? Something that has eluded me for 30 years, something that has eluded my soul, something that has to be served cold...I WANT REVENGE!" Eric almost fell out of his seat when Cervantes shouted his last line.

Eric recovered his senses as Cervantes continued.

"Those priests...Those cursed priests. Swallowing the treasures they collect from the people, promising eternal salvation in exchange when they are in more need of it than their victims! Arrrgh, and then they turn to your orphaned brothers and sisters, and take advantage of their innocence, as they themselves are not allowed to feast in the pleasures of flesh."

Eric figured it out. Cervantes was an orphan, like most pirates were, But was also the victim of priests with human desires, driven to insanity to not act upon them, as they were men of the cloth.

"What I need...is Devil's Island."

Eric's eyes widened. He knew Devil's island and what it would mean if a pirate were to go there and try and remove the stones.

"Devil's island? Never!" Eric quickly made a decision.

"Don't be rash, King Eric." Cervantes pulled his experienced, homicidal sword from it's sheath. Even the sword seemed to laugh as it was pulled. "You must have a beautiful wife back home, right? Children too? I'm sure they would miss you if you were dead?"

Eric kept quiet.

"Or perhaps...I bring you to your precious wife, but you will be missing that piece that would please her in those late nights of passion..."

Eric had enough of the mental torture.

"...OK, OK! You'll get Devil's Island, just...don't...hurt me...or my crew!" Eric was almost ready to beg.

"Ahhh...there's a good boy." Cervantes put his longsword away.

Eric was still worried about saving his own extremities to the fate of the stones of Devil's Island.

"You know what will happen when the stones are taken from their resting place?" Eric asked the pirate captain.

"Why, why, King Eric. I know what the stones keep captive. I know the fates of those who remove them from their place...I also know that the fathers and clergymen of Spain shudder to think what would happen if Zeeonx would devour their dreams and give them eternal nightmares."

"Zeeonx was darkness. A stain on all europe!" Eric remembered the tales his own father told him about the dreaded spirit.

"And a stain that Europe will feel again! A stain that pirates from the world over will feel when their ships are at the bottom of the Carribbean, rotting away like bodies in the desert, and the stains that those lustful monsters who prey on the helpless will feel when their churches burn and their riches melt into the cobblestone cracks. A stain...that will give my enemies who I once trusted, the ultimate reason to fear Captain Cervantes De Santa."

And with one last breath, Cervantes took a swig from the bottle of rum, and placed it in front of Eric.

"This will help ye sleep. Tommorow, we set sail for Denmark. Ye be leadin' the way. So say yer prayers. Arrrgh-men."

Cervantes left the dining room.

"Cook, set him up in the special quarters. I want him healthy." Cervantes left to go to sleep.

Eric sat there, and against his earlier wishes, took a drink from the bottle of rum. He had just potentially doomed the continent. But at the same time, he might have bought himself just enough time for young Melody to gather a rescue party to come save him in time. Maybe enough time for him to wrap his arms around Ariel again and maybe deliver passion that loving couples share, and perhaps end the living nightmare that was Cervantes De Santa.

()()()()


	7. Pride, Glory, and Honor

Chapter 7 - Pride, Glory, &amp; Honor

()()()

The sun shone greatly on the shores of the kingdom. Ariel was taking a morning stroll on the shores, Singing to herself, and enjoying the few days of peace. She missed her husband and daughter, but knew they needed to be together for that family connection that most daughters and fathers had that were strained.

However, Ariel's morning stroll was interrupted by the sounds of dolphins crying out for help down the way. And when Ariel rushed over to see what the matter was, the sight shocked her greatly.

"Melody!" She cried out, rushing to her daughter, who had not only a rough night, but a long, tiring trip back home with the help of the dolphins, and had been carried to shore, exhausted from rushing home so fast.

Some scouts on patrol found their queen with Melody, and rushed over to help.

()()()

When Melody's eyes reopened, her mother hugged her tight.

"Melody, I'm so glad to see you're OK." Ariel's face showed dried tears.

"Mom, it's dad...he needs help." Melody spoke weakly.

"What happened? What happened to him?" Ariel was almost scared beyond words.

"Pirates...they attacked us."

"Oh no! Pirates!"

Ariel immediately summoned for the Navy generals, as soon as she could. Within minutes, Navy General Kirk was there, in uniform, ready to sail if necessary.

"Queen Ariel, General Kirk, Reporting for duty!" He spoke proudly.

"Gather as many men as you can, Eric's been captured! He's been captured by Pirates!"

"Pirates! I'll assemble as many men as I can! For King Eric!" General Kirk rushed from the room.

As he left, Melody sat up amidst her weakness.

"No Melody, you must stay in bed, you're weak!" Ariel begged her daughter

"I'm not that bad." Melody tried to argue.

Carlotta the maid was actually on Melody's side.

"Queen Ariel, she's only suffering from minor fatigue. Give her an hour, she'll be fine."

Carlotta knew exactly what she was talking about.

"Ok then...But until then, Melody, please stay in bed." Ariel rushed off, not before informing General Kirk to await more orders, and then to Atlantica.

"You'd think at 18, she'd let me care for myself." Said Melody

Carlotta understood the young woman's thinking, but knew her mother much better.

"It's a mother's duty, no matter how old her children get. now sleep, you'll feel fine soon."

Melody laid back and continued to rest.

()()()

Within minutes, Ariel was underwater, swimming for her hometown, Atlantica. Going so fast, she didn't bother to try and avoid things, and eventually crashed into her nephew Tiger. The 2 collided and fell back in pain.

"Owwwww, my head." Tiger said

Ariel got up and noticed who she had collided with.

"Oh, Tiger! Listen! Come with me, we need to see Triton, quick!" Ariel bolted around Tiger, who was still smarting from the collision.

"Ok, Auntie Ariel...geez, you sure hurt when you hit." Tiger followed his aunt, and eventually caught up to her.

"What's happened?" Tiger asked

"Melody washed up on the shore...pirates took over Eric's ship." Ariel replied

"Pirates! Triton's been looking for a certain pirate, he said something about this Cervantes guy..."

Ariel and Tiger rushed into the main hall, and Triton was right there, looking bored. But the sight of his youngest daughter cheered him right up.

"Ariel, this is an unexpected suprise!" Triton didn't know why Ariel had arrived.

"Daddy, we need help! This pirate, he attacked the ship Eric was on, Melody's back home, she washed up on the shore..."

"Pirates! Tiger, get Captain strong in here immediately, this just might be the pirate we're looking for!"

"Right away, Grandpa!" Tiger bolted from the room to get his captain.

"So what else do you know about this pirate?" Triton asked

"Nothing else. Melody is still in bed. She must have escaped with that gift you gave her."

Triton cracked a small smile, glad that he was still a deciding factor in how things turned out.

"I knew it would come in handy one day."

Tiger and Captain Strong entered the room.

"Captain Strong, Reporting for duty, SIR!"

"Private Tiger, Reporting for duty, SIR!" Tiger was involuntarily stuck back to his duty as a mersoldier.

"Captain Strong, please sit, we have a situation, Private Tiger, I need you to put out a D-10 situation, all mersoldiers here on the double!"

"Yes, sir!" Tiger left the room. While he was talking with his grandfather, the moment he became a soldier, his duties came to be and his ease was gone.

()()()()

An hour passed, Tiger and his fellow soldiers were awaiting the plans that were to be given. The Navy were also awaiting above, ready to set sail whenever necessary. But down in Atlantica, King Triton and Captain Strong were discussing a theory.

"If it is Cervantes, He must be on the trail of the Devil's stones." Said Triton

"And the reason he attacked Eric's ship, was because it had the Danish flag. Only in Denmark does anyone know of Devil's Island." Replied Captain Strong

"But no man from Denmark has ever told him it's location...they fear for their nightmares and their children's nightmares, and the children who come after."

"And then he kills them when they refuse to speak." Captain strong spoke of Eric's possible fate.

Just outside the palace, Melody swam down to see what was occuring.

"Mom, what's happening?" Melody saw her mom.

"They're discussing a plan. Are you feeling any better?" Asked Ariel

"I'm fine." Melody replied.

Then Lynn and Tiger swam up to their cousin.

"I hear you had a rough night." Said Lynn

"I'm fine now." Melody quickly assured her cousins and mother.

Then a horn sounded. The plan was decided. King Triton stepped out along with Captain Strong, and the mersoldiers got into line, while Ariel, Lynn, and Melody all stood to the side.

"Ok, soldiers! Here's the plan! We believe that the pirate who attacked King Eric, is indeed, Cervantes De Santa!" Captain strong informed his men.

The mersoldiers murmured amongst themselves.

"Therefore, Our only hope, is to wait at Devil's island, and hope King Eric has told the pirate of the location, and ambush the pirate before he can get his hands on the devil's stones." Triton added.

"Soldiers! Grab your spears! Prepare! For tonight, We feed Cervantes to the deep!"

The soldier's cheers rang throughout Atlantica. Now they just needed to get into position, and wait.

()()()


	8. Aquatic Ambush

Chapter 8 - Aquatic Ambush

()()()

For 24 hours, the mersoldiers awaited in the depths, doing lookouts and patrols, but keeping hidden. The navy on the other hand, was docked in Rockslide bay, hidden only a few metres from Devil's Island.

It was around noon, only 2 nights since King Eric's unfortunate encounter, that he was now sailing the White Viper towards Devil's island, against his will. He did not move slow, for if he showed any signs of slowing down, He would be whipped. His back was already whipped a few times, but his determination to see his wife and daughter again kept his feet planted firmly to the deck.

"We're close." Eric informed Cervantes, who was ever so close, and was ever so eager to discuss his ways with his captives' wives, all to taunt Eric.

"Good...I hope and pray you will not suffer much when you remove the stones." Cervantes laughed.

Eric turned back to the wheel, and steered the White Viper towards the island.

Meanwhile, underneath the waves, the Mersoldiers saw the massive ship, and one of them popped up to get a close look at it...and they noticed on the side, the ship read "White Viper."

The lookout swam back down to inform his fellow mersoldiers.

"Inform Captain Strong, the ship "White Viper" is coming towards us."

The word spread rather quickly amongst the mersoldiers. Captain Strong got all of his men to await in their designated spots. Ariel, Tiger, and Melody all awaited with King Triton in the pools of the cave where the stones were, as they were to act as the last line of defense.

Eric took the ship and stopped it in the large lagoon of Devil's island.

"Drop the anchor!" Cervantes ordered his men. They did as they were told.

"Lower the lifeboats! Eric, you're coming with me!" Cervantes grabbed Eric by the arm, and took him over to the lifeboat.

"Sit in there and shut up!" Cervantes threw Eric into his personal lifeboat, and then climbed in himself, with 4 of his best men.

"Eric, meet my personal best men. These men are skilled in the arts of fistfighting and such. They will assure our deliverance to the cave where these stones are awaiting me."

Eric looked at the 4 big brutes, all who were much bigger than he was, and could probably break him with a single punch.

The lifeboats were lowered into the lagoon, and about 100 men were bound for the shore.

But their easy steal was about to be interrupted by 100 angry mermen. It all began with Captain Strong, breaking the surface to attack the lifeboats.

"NOW!" he yelled, and 100 merman soldiers broke the surface and attacked.

Cervantes boat was closest to shore, and it landed before any mermen could attack it and take away it's passengers. But not all of his lifeboats were so lucky - some where being smashed and sunk, and the pirates aboard them were being dragged below the surface to be drowned, or worse, torn apart. Cervantes was shocked that his ship got attacked so quickly.

"Cursed Mermen! Curse them!" He yelled out as he ran his lifeboat onto the land.

It had been half a minute since the ambush, and the remaining pirates on board of the White Viper were shooting muskets into the water, and some mermen were getting hit, and some were wounded, and some were dying.

But then, a large cannon blast blew a hole in the hull of the white viper - The Navy was closing in, and they were 5 ships and 250 men strong, with General Kirk leading the way.

"Charge! For King Eric!" Kirk yelled out

"For King Eric!" The sailors began charging towards the island.

That was the mersoldiers' Cue to retreat back into the deep while the Navy charged in.

Meanwhile, Cervantes got deep enough into the caves, he brought Eric to the stones. A bright glittering sapphire, and a red ruby, embedded in a stone wall. Eric knew that if he removed them, he would bring great doom and gloom to the world around him.

"So, King Eric, Here we are...the stones...Take them out, Now!" Cervantes handed Eric a metal rod.

At this point, Eric knew Melody has arrived home safely, and that ambush outside was a rescue for him.

"Do you like your wife face down or face up! Do it, now!" Cervantes impatience and underestimation of Eric's stress was enough.

"No!" Eric took the metal rod, and struck Cervantes in the side of the head, knocking him down. The 4 brutes grabbed Eric, and held him as he struggled. Cervantes was nothing short of angered. When he stopped nursing the large wound that Eric had inflicted on him, he stood up, and pulled his longsword from it's sheath.

"Argh! Ye be makin' yer last mistake!" Cervantes laughed as he took the sword, and undid Eric's belt with it. But just as he was about to take the next step in dubbing Eric a eunuch, 4 figures emerged from the pools! It was Ariel, Melody, Tiger, And Triton. Ariel and Melody had taken their shells and turned to humans, while Tiger and Triton remained as merfolk. Cervantes paused for a moment to look at his new adversaries, and began to laugh at Eric.

"Ha-ha-ha-ha! You're the great king who married a mermaid! Hahaha! You filthy swine, laying with an animal of the deep!"

It was pretty evident all across the land &amp; sea that there was a prince who had fallen in love with a mermaid, and to the sailors, it was a pretty funny story. To Cervantes, it was hilarious.

"Tell me, Eric...when ye go down on her, does she taste like fish!?" Cervantes could not stop laughing.

Tiger was the first to reply.

"Haha, that's real cute there, Cervantos...you know what else is cute? You sucking on my spear with no teeth!"

Tiger then jumped from the water, and punched Cervantes square in the mouth. Cervantes fell over, and then Ariel and Melody tackled the brutes in an effort to free Eric, and succeeded. Cervantes got up from being punched and ran to the stones. Triton used the trident to hit the brutes, and threw them into the walls of the cave. They did not get up from that hit.

But then more pirates entered the cave. With Cervantes at the stones, and Eric now free, this was going to be a brutal fight.

()()()


	9. Possessed by Hate

Chapter 9 - Possessed by Hate

()()()

Cervantes and Triton had a hand-to-hand, Sword to trident battle. While Triton was the king of the sea, Cervantes was also a determined, bitter man. The 2 constantly landed in stalemates in their fight.

But a few feet away, 3 skinny, sickly looking pirates were taking on 2 very healthy women, a liberated King Eric, and Tiger, who was fast as lightning bursting from the pools and tackling his victims to mount them and punch them repeatedly like an MMA fighter.

Eric and his adversary were throwing punches, and while the pirate seemed to be stronger, Eric was smarter, and was able to avoid getting hit, and able to lay strikes which eventually took out his opponent.

Melody's adversary was very thin, and not very strong. Melody was able to get behind him and put a finger to the pressure point of his neck, a trick she had learned from her grandfather during a trip to Atlantica during the annual wargames.

Ariel and Tiger, on the other hand, took the same opponent. Ariel was swinging and missing, so Tiger did most of the work when he flew out of the water and tackled. During their 2 on 1 scuffle, Ariel was able to trip her adversary, and then Tiger mistimed his jump from the pool, and as he flew through the air, Ariel accidentally punched him in the face!

"Ahhh!" Tiger grabbed his nose.

"Tiger, i'm so sorry! Ariel quickly apologized

"Auntie Ariel!" Tiger held his nose.

The pirate rose up from his trip, but Tiger quickly threw a punch, and knocked the pirate over. Ariel then finished the job by dropping her knees on his head, knocking him out cold. She got up from beating her adversary, as well as Melody and Eric, who had also taken out their adversaries.

"Is King Triton ok?" Tiger asked

the 4 turned over to witness Cervantes throw his foot out, and kick King Triton off his balanced tail.

"hahaha!" Cervantes laughed, turning to the stones. With his sword, he quickly pried them from the wall.

"No!" Ariel cried out

As soon as the stones were pried from their spot, Cervantes lifted them from the sand.

"I...I...REVENGE!" Cervantes then held the stones over his head.

And like his adversaries feared, the spirit of Zeeonx rushed from the holes on the wall, and flew into Cervantes' body with a full head of steam. Cervantes began to scream as his body became possessed, and his soul devoured. but at the same time, he had an undeniable, almost satanic look in his eyes that fuelled him to a more powerful being.

"We unite! I have...I have the ultimate power!" Cervantes began to float off the ground of the cave and into the air. his body glowed purple, the color of death.

"Spain...will...suffer...for it's sins!" Cervantes, or rather, Zeeonx taking possession of his body, began to laugh.

Triton began to charge the trident. He fired a beam at the liberated Zeeonx, knocking him back, but only lightly. Zeeonx laughed.

"Hahaha! You mere mortals!" Zeeonx threw a ball of energy at Triton, sending him flying back into his family behind him. Ariel was fretting over her father's hit.

"Daddy, are you ok?" Ariel asked

"I'm fine, Ariel! Get up, stop him!" Triton ordered

"The stones! If we placed them back, would that seal him away?" Asked Melody

"There's only one way to find out!" Said Tiger

"We can distract him! Tiger, Ariel, Melody, go around him in the water, Eric, Grab the sword, come with me!" Triton delegated his family around.

Ariel and Melody activated their shells, and the lights engulfed them, turning them into mermaids. However, they only had a few minutes of energy, so they would have to act quickly, as they dove into the pools in the cave.

Meanwhile, Triton and Eric, Now equipped with Cervantes's Dropped sword, double teamed Zeeonx, and took him from the front and back, But Zeeonx's energy powers were great, and Eric and Triton found themselves evading attack repeatedly.

Eventually, the 3 merfolk burst from the pools to the wall, and then towards the stones which had fallen to the ground after Zeeonx dropped them. With Melody and Ariel now back in human form, and Tiger watching their back with his spear, They began to try and force the sapphire back into it's hole. Melody began to push it with her hand, but it didn't wan't to go back in so easily.

"Melody, your feet, try that!" Ariel instructed

Melody then kicked the sapphire, in the hopes it would go back in. With a few kicks, it did!

Zeeonx then realized what was happening, and turned to face Ariel and Melody! But in his haste, Eric stabbed him with the sword, and then Triton tackled the spirit and tried to hold him back from attacking. Meanwhile, Tiger remained at the ready to drive his spear into the spirit if he got close enough.

Then Melody began to place the ruby into it's place. But it was harder to do.

"Here!" Ariel picked up her daughter by the waist so her feet were free to kick. With all the extra ballast, Melody began to stomp the ruby into it's place. Then with one last stomp, The ruby was re-embedded into the wall!

Zeeonx then began to scream! The spirit began to fall back behind the mysterious stones, and he was sucked out of Cervantes's body, who had now fallen to the floor in a heap.

The 3 armed men, Eric, Triton, and Tiger, all began to pierce the fallen pirate with their tools of death, Eric with his sword, Triton with the trident, and Tiger with the spear.

And when the screams of Zeeonx ended, the cave calmed. A few seconds passed as the group breathed heavily from their brawl.

General Kirk rushed into the room with some sailors.

"Sir! We are reporting that the pirates have either been eliminated, or have surrendered! We have taken complete control of the White Viper!" General Kirk noticed that Triton and his group had done the same.

The whole party cheered at their victory.

()()()()


	10. Love Everlasting

Chapter 10 - Love Everlasting

()()()

Within minutes, the 2 parties were sailing back home, tired, beat up, but victorious over a monster. Now, that monster was just a bad memory.

Eric did not let go of Ariel nor Melody on the way back home. One could understand why he didn't want to let go of Melody, but Ariel was something a little more personal.

Under the ship, Triton and Tiger went together.

"It's victories like this that call for celebration!" Declared Triton

"You read my mind like a book." Replied Tiger.

"Drinks, Mermaid Dancers, company, I'm putting that together, the moment we arrive home." Triton smiled

"And that's why you're the most awesome grandfather ever." Replied Tiger

"We'll just chain down the chariots first." Triton joked

Tiger facepalmed in embarrassment, as he remembered back to his drunken chariot joyride.

()()()

The party began down in Atlantica, but of course, King Triton wanted to celebrate the victory with his family. On the shore, Triton, Melody, Tiger, Lynn, and a few other cousins sat around, drinking wines and hard alcohols, awaiting the Arrivals of King Eric, and Queen Ariel.

But neither were to come for a few hours. Even their bedroom light was off. But Triton, Tiger, and Melody all knew why.

"When's Mom and Dad gonna come down?" An impatient Melody sipped some wine with Lynn.

"I'm not sure, Melody. Your father went through a rough trial." Said Triton.

"I think the pirate said some things about Auntie Ariel. Maybe that got him right in the heart." Tiger suggested.

"How'd the pirate figure out Eric was married?" Asked Lynn

"Pirates threatened him in ways we don't want to know." Triton replied

"Let's just say Uncle Eric would've have to had sat down to relieve himself from now on." Tiger basically spilled it out.

The group groaned in disgust a bit.

"He's already drunk." Lynn accused Tiger.

Tiger wasn't that drunk. Yet.

()()()

Then finally, The royals of the land arrived to the gathering. The sun was about to set, and the group there was buzzed, except for Tiger, who was full-blown drunk.

"Hey! it's Auntie Ariel and Uncle Eric! How's it goin, guys!?" A drunken Tiger asked

"We're doing just fine." Eric smiled, for he had just gone a few miles with Ariel and that certainly was something to smile about. They sat down next to Melody and Triton came over to sit with them. Lynn and Tiger sat on the surf by themselves, a bit depressed, but they knew what was up.

"Come on, Tiger, there's a hot mermaid stripper's clamshells with your name on them." Lynn pulled Tiger from the shore.

"Take care, guys!" Tiger waved a drunken goodbye.

"Yah, see you later! We'll be at the party." Lynn added

As the 2 cousins went into the surf, they joked a bit.

"Hey, wanna get Pacifika and tie her to the dock?" Asked Tiger

"That's cruel! Remember the last time we did that?" Replied Lynn

"Hey, she was getting some good nibbles." Tiger and Lynn disappeared into the surf.

the 2 cousins went into the surf, while their family remained on shore, staying close to each other. They sat and conversated, until it was late. Then, King Triton returned to his palace in Atlantica while the Royal family of Eric, Ariel, and Melody returned to theirs.

There was only one thing on Melody's mind as she watched her parents hold each other tightly as they walked back to the palace - Douglas on the land or Davey in the sea?

()()()()

The End


End file.
